


Don't hire the cute guy

by TokumeiNo



Category: Kamen Rider Gaim
Genre: Clothing store AU, Fluff, Kaito is secretly awkward, Kouta just wants the job, M/M, Not Beta Read, Or at least he thinks so, Zack isn't fooled, forgive my grammar, store names are puns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-30
Updated: 2016-06-30
Packaged: 2018-07-19 05:38:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7347334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TokumeiNo/pseuds/TokumeiNo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Kaito was just trying to hire a new cashier and was not at all prepared for Kazuraba Kouta.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don't hire the cute guy

“Nope.” 

“What do you mean nope?”

“You’re not what we’re looking for.” Kaito heaved his shoulders in the most casual shrug he could manage in his position. He felt unusually warm. His stomach was twisting and his knees actually felt weak much to his embarrassment. He thought he was covering it up pretty well by staying bent forward over the counter and flicked a filled out application form back to the source of all his woes, which was the cute guy named Kazuraba Kouta. 

He walked in about ten minutes ago with his perfectly tanned skin, toned arms, silky black hair just long enough to reach his ears and had some of the prettiest dark brown eyes the world had to offer. Kaito nearly stumbled to the ground when he caught sight of him.  
Not only that, but in his hands was an application form. The same application that the Baron’s Warehouse has been handing out to those who looked they could qualify. Apparently Kaito was nowhere around when Kouta received one (fucking Peco, it was probably him) because Kaito has a strict policy. 

Don’t hire the cute guy. Or at least don’t hire a guy you’re attracted to because it leads to problems. Kaito’s little incident where he nearly face planted the floor simply from Kouta walking through the front door was fine example of that.

Kouta huffed; Kaito avoided eye contact with him by staring at his watch instead. 

“What do you mean I’m not what you’re looking for?” Kouta demanded. “It says right there that you’re looking for a cashier and someone to help on the floor, I’ve got experience with that!”

Kaito did see that Kouta used to work with Gaim Apparel which made him want to roll his eyes. Gaim Apparel was one of their competitors, Kaito didn’t think very highly of them. While the style of their clothes was unique with a modern look to them, the craftsmen ship was downright shitty and they charged too much for it. Their store layout could use work too. 

“You don’t look like the type to understand our style. You wouldn’t last here.” Kaito said decided to play the stuck up jerk card that he’s often been told works well for him and waved a hand dismissively while keeping his eyes strategically closed.

“What so hard about it? I’ll throw on a red shirt and vest, ring up a few things and bustle the clothes around!” Kouta argued  
Kaito had to work around the thought of how damn good Kouta would look in their dark red uniformed shirts as he formulated a response in his head.

“We’re looking for someone who will do more than just their daily quota. You should really try somewhere else.” He said finally and shifted his legs to get ready to stand. He planned on ending the conversation there and then have Zack show Kouta out. After that he would then excuse himself to the back room where he would wait until he regains feeling back into his legs.

Just as he was lifting his elbows off the counter he stopped when two hands smacked down in front of him. Kaito was stared at them in surprise and looked up at Kouta whose face had suddenly gotten a lot closer to his own.

Kaito felt his throat dry as he locked eyes with Kouta. The intensity was something that Kaito rarely came across since most tended to shift their gaze away when staring at him. Kouta however had nothing but determination and force raw enough that he could feel it.  
“Just give me a chance, please. I need this job.”

“Fuck.” Kaito thought to himself as he listened to how deep Kouta’s voice had dropped but what was really affecting him at the moment was the underlining desperation in his words. It was enough that Kaito tore himself away from his eyes and actually took in Kouta’s appearance.

The plain tee he was wearing was faded considerably and the plaid jacket tied around his waist had some of the seams torn here and there. Kaito stood and slowly walked around the counter. Kouta’s jeans had also faded and he could see they had worn out a bit at the hem of the pant legs. Then finally the shoes; though Kaito thinks that Kouta took the time to clean up the sneakers he could see that they were also aged and were quite possibly the only pair he owns.

Kouta spoke again at the silence “I work hard and learn fast, I’ll be in your debt.” He said and quickly bowed at the waist. “Please reconsider!”

Kaito was left without words. A little voice in the back of his mind was telling him “This is it. This is your down fall right here.” Because Kaito knew he made his decision. The sight of Kouta begging him, the desperation, and the damn passion in the kid’s eyes…  
It was too much, way too much for Kumon Kaito. 

“All right…”

Kouta shot up so fast Kaito wondered if he heard the poor kid’s spine pop. 

“Thank you, thank you so much!” 

His eyes sparkled. They fucking sparkled.

“You start tomorrow, be here at eight. If you’re late then you can forget it. I do not tolerate tardiness.” Kaito said sharply because dammit it all he refused to admit that he lost this battle.

“You don’t have to worry about a thing, boss!” Kouta replied happily. It was truly incredible how fast a mood can change. Just five seconds ago he was like a man on death row.

“You will address me as Kaito.” Kaito instructed and snatched up the application paper, going back to avoiding eye contact with Kouta.

Kouta didn’t seem to notice at all and chirped “I’ll see you tomorrow at eight, Kaito!” and with that he turned around on his heel and strode out the double glass doors back into the mall complex where Baron’s warehouse was located.

Kaito turned to go directly into the backroom and cradle his ego but was stopped short of a smirking Zack who was leaning against one of the displays with his arms folded.

“So I see we filled in one of the spots?” Zack asked, tilting his head to the side with a raised eyebrow.

“I control your salary” Kaito responded and continued to move towards the back. 

“Yes, it makes up for the fact that you have no control over yourself when it comes to pretty eyes.” Zack shot back with a widening grin.

Kaito didn’t even dignify that with a response… mostly because he didn’t have one. He couldn’t fire Zack. Peco would cry and quite frankly Kaito has had pretty much all he can take for the day. 

Kaito made his way to the break room to lower himself down into the nearest chair. He kicked his feet up onto the table and tossed Kouta’s application beside them. Kaito then reached into his pocket and pulled out a deck of cards, he began shuffling. 

Well if anything Kouta will bring at least a little life into the store. That was part of the idea when he thought to bring in new people, and Kouta definitely fit the bill.

As Kaito watched the cards slide and form back together perfectly, he began to smile softly to himself as Kouta’s dark yet shining eyes entered his mind again and his strict policy threw itself right out the window.

**Author's Note:**

> Be gentle with me it's been a while since I've been in the fanfic writing saddle. I'm really not sure if this is going to be a series or if I'm just gonna leave it as it is? We'll see on how inspired I might be.


End file.
